JM Blog 5 Alpha Hard Tags
Key words KW – Alpha Jewel Lok 5
KW- Retail Anti Theft Devices 4
KW- Prevent shoplifting 4
Alpha Jewel Lok; Prevent the Shoplifting Not The Shopping
If you ask any security professional how best to Prevent shoplifting their off the top answer will be “Lock it Up!” Next you ask what do we lock up? The response to that is simply “Everything.” I have to admit that I shared this viewpoint for the early years of my LP career and still feel this way when I learn of a large scale loss but, as we expand our role within the retail world it is clear that this is not the way forward.
Shopping is and will always be an immersive experience. Shoppers do more than look. They touch, test and ultimately connect with a product. This is even more so when the prospective sale is a substantial purchase. As a retailer what are you to do? The consumer wants this level of interaction with your merchandise but the high ticket price means high risk. If you locked everything up behind glass or used standard Retail Anti Theft Devices you may guarantee your merchandise stays on the shelf, but at the cost of it staying on your shelf.
Top line sales are what we are all after so, a balance must be struck between security and accessibility. It is in this area that the Alpha Jewel Lok shines. Small, elegant and functional the Alpha Jewel Lok allows for high ticket items, like jewelry and watches, to be safe and to be accessible. At a size smaller than your thumb, the device uses a small hook and latch to lock onto your merchandise. The hook is small enough to fit into the gaps on a watchband or easily around a ring. The beauty is that the device’s size allows for a customer to wear and experience the protected merchandise without it going unprotected.
From my experience with the Alpha Jewel Lok vs other Retail Anti Theft Devices, specifically to Prevent shoplifting of high ticket jewelry, there is no better solution. I use them for mid-priced items, allowing me to have them presented for customers to touch, while not being forced to have an associate standing over them at all times. Customer wins, LP wins and Sales win. I have even begun to consider these as a second line of defense for items in the display case. Let me explain why.
I recently dealt with $12,000 in theft at my store’s jewelry counter. A new associate was the victim of the classic switch scam. She provided a nice couple with a pair of rings to look at and as soon as they could distract her they made their move. In an instant my $6000 rings became two pieces of costume jewelry. Huge shrink impact, very hard to spot or stop unless, there had been a second line of defense. What if I placed an Alpha Jewel Lok onto my High ticket jewelry or had the associate do it as part of the display process? .
Without ruining the ring’s presentation or harming the customer’s experience this one small Retail Anti Theft Device could have saved me $12,000. The swap scam wouldn’t have been possible. The thieves couldn’t remove it without being noticed. If they went for the swap anyway the rings they swapped in would have been instantly flagged for not having the devices. Once they tried to leave the alarm would have greeted them at the door along with LP a moment later. No matter what form the end result took our goal to Prevent shoplifting would have been achieved.
Thieves, scammers and shoplifters are a clever bunch and we must be open in our thought processes and creative in our approach to security. We need to stay ahead of them while still providing an experience for our customers that leads to quality sales. With options like the Alpha Jewel Lok as well as dozens of other Retail Anti Theft Devices available we have the tools to increase profits, Prevent shoplifting and never let risk ruin the sale.
Need information on the Alpha Jewel Lok? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now
If you ask any security professional how best to Prevent shoplifting their off the top answer will be “Lock it Up!” Next you ask what do we lock up? The response to that is simply “Everything.” I have to admit that I shared this viewpoint for the early years of my LP career and still feel this way when I learn of a large scale loss but, as we expand our role within the retail world it is clear that this is not the way forward.
Shopping is and will always be an immersive experience. Shoppers do more than look. They touch, test and ultimately connect with a product. This is even more so when the prospective sale is a substantial purchase. As a retailer what are you to do? The consumer wants this level of interaction with your merchandise but the high ticket price means high risk. If you locked everything up behind glass or used standard Retail Anti Theft Devices you may guarantee your merchandise stays on the shelf, but at the cost of it staying on your shelf.
Top line sales are what we are all after so, a balance must be struck between security and accessibility. It is in this area that the Alpha Jewel Lok shines. Small, elegant and functional the Alpha Jewel Lok allows for high ticket items, like jewelry and watches, to be safe and to be accessible. At a size smaller than your thumb, the device uses a small hook and latch to lock onto your merchandise. The hook is small enough to fit into the gaps on a watchband or easily around a ring. The beauty is that the device’s size allows for a customer to wear and experience the protected merchandise without it going unprotected.
From my experience with the Alpha Jewel Lok vs other Retail Anti Theft Devices, specifically to Prevent shoplifting of high ticket jewelry, there is no better solution. I use them for mid-priced items, allowing me to have them presented for customers to touch, while not being forced to have an associate standing over them at all times. Customer wins, LP wins and Sales win. I have even begun to consider these as a second line of defense for items in the display case. Let me explain why.
I recently dealt with $12,000 in theft at my store’s jewelry counter. A new associate was the victim of the classic switch scam. She provided a nice couple with a pair of rings to look at and as soon as they could distract her they made their move. In an instant my $6000 rings became two pieces of costume jewelry. Huge shrink impact, very hard to spot or stop unless, there had been a second line of defense. What if I placed an Alpha Jewel Lok onto my High ticket jewelry or had the associate do it as part of the display process?
Without ruining the ring’s presentation or harming the customer’s experience this one small Retail Anti Theft Device could have saved me $12,000. The swap scam wouldn’t have been possible. The thieves couldn’t remove it without being noticed. If they went for the swap anyway the rings they swapped in would have been instantly flagged for not having the devices. Once they tried to leave the alarm would have greeted them at the door along with LP a moment later. No matter what form the end result took our goal to Prevent shoplifting would have been achieved.
Thieves, scammers and shoplifters are a clever bunch and we must be open in our thought processes and creative in our approach to security. We need to stay ahead of them; while still providing an experience for our customers that leads to quality sales. With options like the Alpha Jewel Lok as well as dozens of other Retail Anti Theft Devices available we have the tools to increase profits, Prevent shoplifting and never let risk ruin the sale.
Need information on the Alpha Jewel Lok? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now
Liquor bottle security-3 WC Blog 182
Bottle Locks-5
Liquor Bottle Security; Ideas For All Budget Sizes: Part 3
In parts 1 and 2 of this series of articles, I have been reviewing how the automobile industry has not so subtly attempted to get me to purchase a new vehicle that will make my life better. They have plied me with ads for heavy-duty work trucks, fuel-efficient and affordable compact cars and luxurious, leather seated, fast and stylish sports cars (yes, my wife reminds me THAT isn’t happening). Each class of car has its pros and cons, fuel efficiency vs. a larger engine, luxury vs. a fixed budget, payload vs. a small trunk. In a way, stores that sell alcohol, especially small to mid-size retailers, have similar considerations to worry about when it comes to merchandise security. Owners want to prevent theft and shortage but each owner has to also worry about profit and budget. One size does not fit all when it comes to liquor bottle security. The purpose of this series has been to demonstrate that there are affordable means for bottle security for everyone, such as the use of bottle locks on merchandise. Just like buying a car, each vehicle will move you from place to place sometimes it just gets you there faster or carries more weight in the process. In these articles retail owners should be able to find an idea they can afford to keep shortage down.
The one consistent strategy that all owners can use in combatting shortage is to place bottle locks on wines and spirits. These are anti-theft devices that are secured over the lid and neck of a bottle to prevent someone from gaining access to the contents until after a purchase is made. They can only be removed with a detachment tool that is maintained at the cash register stand or a portable detachment key carried by an employee. Bottle locks are most effective when a store also has Electronic Article Surveillance antennas. Since the locks will set off the antenna alarm if a bottle with a lock still attached, the locks deter shoplifters and also provide the store employees with the ability to recover merchandise before it is stolen.
Owners of liquor stores or grocery store that sell alcohol may be in a position to get a “luxury sports car” version of a merchandise protection system. In this case, Electronic Article Surveillance antennas should be purchased and placed at all entrances including loading dock doors. These stores should also protect every bottle in inventory with a bottle lock, ensuring customer accessibility to product while providing the optimal level of merchandise security. The more products secured the better the odds of stopping shoplifting. Shoplifters often set their sights on high end products but when they can’t get to those they will look for the next best option. A shoplifter may want to steal a $50 bottle of wine but if the bottle is protected they will go down to the $30 bottle and so on until they locate an unsecured item, even if it’s a $10 beverage.
Additionally, the luxury car has all the bells and whistles, complete sound system, on board driver assists, leather seats, etc. The store that can go all out should have all the bells and whistles too, one cashier and two or three employees at any given time available on the sales floor. Closed circuit television systems with attached digital cameras should be set on each aisle as well as the front entry and exit doors. Cameras would be monitored and when attempts at theft are detected, employees can be directed to the area to give superior customer service. Cameras should also be placed at employee and vendor entrances to monitor for possible employee or vendor theft. Finally, a uniformed, trained security officer would be positioned at the front doors to respond to EAS antenna alarms and conduct employee package checks as team members leave for the day.
I understand this is pie-in-the-sky for most businesses. All of it takes money and the return on investment may not be great enough to justify all these measures. But, a store CAN afford bottle locks and certainly exceptional customer service costs nothing but a smile and welcoming attitude. By investing in the liquor bottle security a store can afford will pay dividends in the long run.
Need information on liquor bottle security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
In parts 1 and 2 of this series of articles, I have been reviewing how the automobile industry has not so subtly attempted to get me to purchase a new vehicle that will make my life better. They have plied me with ads for heavy-duty work trucks, fuel-efficient and affordable compact cars and luxurious, leather seated, fast and stylish sports cars (yes, my wife reminds me THAT isn’t happening). Each class of car has its pros and cons, fuel efficiency vs. a larger engine, luxury vs. a fixed budget, payload vs. a small trunk. In a way, stores that sell alcohol, especially small to mid-size retailers, have similar considerations to worry about when it comes to merchandise security. Owners want to prevent theft and shortage but each owner has to also worry about profit and budget. One size does not fit all when it comes to liquor bottle security. The purpose of this series has been to demonstrate that there are affordable means for bottle security for everyone, such as the use of bottle locks on merchandise. Just like buying a car, each vehicle will move you from place to place sometimes it just gets you there faster or carries more weight in the process. In these articles retail owners should be able to find an idea they can afford to keep shortage down.
The one consistent strategy that all owners can use in combatting shortage is to place bottle locks on wines and spirits. These are anti-theft devices that are secured over the lid and neck of a bottle to prevent someone from gaining access to the contents until after a purchase is made. They can only be removed with a detachment tool that is maintained at the cash register stand or a portable detachment key carried by an employee. Bottle locks are most effective when a store also has Electronic Article Surveillance antennas. Since the locks will set off the antenna alarm if a bottle with a lock still attached, the locks deter shoplifters and also provide the store employees with the ability to recover merchandise before it is stolen.
Owners of liquor stores or grocery store that sell alcohol may be in a position to get a “luxury sports car” version of a merchandise protection system. In this case, Electronic Article Surveillance antennas should be purchased and placed at all entrances including loading dock doors. These stores should also protect every bottle in inventory with a bottle lock, ensuring customer accessibility to product while providing the optimal level of merchandise security. The more products secured the better the odds of stopping shoplifting. Shoplifters often set their sights on high end products but when they can’t get to those they will look for the next best option. A shoplifter may want to steal a $50 bottle of wine but if the bottle is protected they will go down to the $30 bottle and so on until they locate an unsecured item, even if it’s a $10 beverage.
Additionally, the luxury car has all the bells and whistles, complete sound system, on board driver assists, leather seats, etc. The store that can go all out should have all the bells and whistles too, one cashier and two or three employees at any given time available on the sales floor. Closed circuit television systems with attached digital cameras should be set on each aisle as well as the front entry and exit doors. Cameras would be monitored and when attempts at theft are detected, employees can be directed to the area to give superior customer service. Cameras should also be placed at employee and vendor entrances to monitor for possible employee or vendor theft. Finally, a uniformed, trained security officer would be positioned at the front doors to respond to EAS antenna alarms and conduct employee package checks as team members leave for the day.
I understand this is pie-in-the-sky for most businesses. All of it takes money and the return on investment may not be great enough to justify all these measures. But, a store CAN afford bottle locks and certainly exceptional customer service costs nothing but a smile and welcoming attitude. By investing in the liquor bottle security a store can afford will pay dividends in the long run.
Need information on liquor bottle security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
What is it that I most love about the Loss Prevention career field and retail theft prevention? I can’t say that it was ever one thing in particular. I enjoyed investigating internal and external theft. I enjoyed working with new anti-shoplifting technology as it rolled out to our stores, from new Checkpoint tags to Checkpoint Security System hardware such as antennas and deactivation pads. I really loved to stop shoplifting, and in fact I think my most interesting stories are from the shoplifters I caught (and in a few instances didn’t catch). Some stories are funny; some were scary as I reflect on them now, and some you just have to shake your head at in wonder.
One shoplifter story that was interesting involved a gentleman who came into our store and went to the sports card collections located near our checkout lanes. There was nothing that stood out about this shopper except that he was near one of our high theft areas. The individual packs of ball cards were source tagged with Checkpoint Tags so they would activate the Checkpoint Security System antennas at our front doors if someone were to try to walk out with unpaid merchandise. The boxes of collector cards were sometimes source tagged with Checkpoint Tags and other times weren’t and our Loss Prevention Team would have to place the tags on ourselves. As I mentioned, the ball cards tended to be a popular area for shoplifters. The packs were small enough they could be placed in a pants pocket easily. Usually individual packs were stolen by the kids who would be looking for a favorite player or one of the latest game based card series that was out at the time. The boxes were another matter, and these were being stolen by professional boosters and would find their way to flea markets, or sold to “buyers” who in turn sold them somewhere else.
My suspect in the case spent a lot of time hanging around the cards before he started to select several boxes and placed them in a shopping cart. After he had loaded up three or four boxes, he took them into the store where he concealed the boxes under his coat and walked towards the exit. As he approached the Checkpoint Security System antennas, he set off the alarm and continued out the door where we stopped him. We took him back to the office and I recovered the merchandise and processed him, taking his information and picture and entering his information in our case management reporting system. I questioned the subject about what he was going to do with the boxes of cards and he told me he was going to sell them at a flea market in another state. I asked if he had ever done this before and he admitted he had done so in Minnesota. I questioned him for about fifteen minutes and satisfied I had gotten all the information I could from the suspect, I contacted the local police, and explained what the subject had admitted to me. Police were not always interested in Organized Theft Rings and treated this as another shoplifter. The last step I had to do was email an alert to my District Manager and our designated Area Investigator since the case involved “booster” activity.
The next day I received a phone call from one of our Area Investigators located in Minnesota. He had been alerted to the report I submitted in our reporting system and by the information I sent to our Area Investigator. He recognized the name and description of the subject we had caught and it turned out he had a large case he was investigating in his area involving a theft ring stealing boxes of ball cards. The investigator asked for any additional information I could give him and the number to the local police department to see if he could speak to a detective. I provided the information and we said our goodbyes. I never heard from him again, but I did find it interesting that my team and I were able to stop shoplifting by this person who was being sought halfway across the country.
While I did not have the satisfaction of knowing whether the case played a part in closing a bigger investigation, I did have the pleasure of knowing that I had asked the right questions. Checkpoint Security Systems can help to stop shoplifting, identify suspects and recover merchandise, but by conducting a careful interview, it is possible to find out things aren’t always as they seem. That always gave me a sense of accomplishment in Retail Loss Prevention.
Need information on Checkpoint Security Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Remember the cute children’s song, “Where, O Where Has My Little Dog Gone?” What a fun little ditty about a lost dog and a search to find him. But what if we change the words just a bit and make it, “Where, O Where Has My Mobile Device Gone?” That’s not quite so cute (and it doesn’t really rhyme so well either). It is especially not so funny if it involves a medical i-pad theft or medical tablet theft. The little dog in the song may very well find his way home, but will the mobile device make it back to where it belongs? Probably not. Medical providers have to be on guard to ensure that if they are using mobile devices in their practices they are keeping both the information on the device and the device itself secure. What is the best way to do this? Encryption of a device is imperative to protect patient/client data. Using an Alpha Thunder Tag is critical to prevent an i-pad theft or tablet theft.
Mobile devices can be protected by attaching an Alpha Thunder Tag to them and installing Checkpoint Classic N10 Antennas at building exits. The tag is built so that when it is within a certain distance from an antenna, it will cause the alarm in the antennas to activate. Alarms consist of flashing LED lights and a very loud alert sound. These alerts ensure that staff and employees will hear when someone is trying to carry a device out of the building. Alerts also provide staff an opportunity to get to the door where the alarm is sounding and retrieve the item being stolen. The Thunder Tag is also designed to be tamper proof, so if someone should try to remove the tag in order to steal a device, the tag has a built in alarm that is set off and warn staff that an attempted theft is taking place.
If you have a smaller office area and are concerned about the space a Checkpoint Classic N10 Antenna would take up, you can rest assured that the space requirements are minimal. This antenna was designed with small spaces in mind, so the footprint it requires is very small, and yet it performs as well as larger electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas. Should a person, attempt an i-pad theft or tablet theft, the antenna will detect the Alpha Thunder Tag.
So the question becomes does it really matter if a mobile medical device is stolen if it is encrypted? It does matter. While encryption does make it more difficult for a thief to get information from a device such as a laptop or tablet, it is not impossible. In an article in techopedia.com , https://www.techopedia.com/definition/25054/health-care-data-encryption titled, “Health Care Data Encryption” the author discusses what data encryption is and why health care providers should use it. The article states, “Consideration of EHR( electronic health reporting, my clarification in parentheses) data encryption is wise for health care providers, administrators, IT personnel and health facilities. Although encryption is not foolproof, it’s better than plain text records (emphasis mine)”. Mobile medical devices could be stolen and the information stored on them compromised. Not only does this put patient information at risk, it could result in significant fines and penalties for the practice or care unit.
Can someone gain access to medical devices and steal them? Absolutely. Handheld devices like anything else can get in the way when a patient is being treated or if a care provider becomes distracted. It isn’t difficult to imagine a scenario where someone may put down a device to take a phone call or consult with a partner or patient and then forget to pick the tablet or i-pad up. How about just laying the device on a counter where patients check in and out? Once the device is out of a person’s immediate control, it is subject to being picked up or simply lost. Once a device cannot be accounted for, it should be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services. It should not be assumed that a Mobile Medical Device will find its’ way home again.
Medical tablet theft and/or i-pad theft must be treated as very real possibilities. Using an Alpha Thunder Tag and Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas along with data encryption on your devices can help to ensure your practice does not experience a damaging loss.
Get more information on Alpha Thunder Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Some people will go to extremes to get a full refund, even if it means committing return fraud. Returns cost retailers billions of dollars every year and the number continues to rise. Wardrobing is one of the most common problems that many stores face. Lots of companies have policies that allow returns as long as the customer has the proof of purchase, either from in the store or online. This is where the criminal customer takes advantage of the store and basically”rents” what they want for free. There is a simple solution to this problem: Alpha Shark Tags.
First, let me tell you about some horror stories I found about some of the craziest customer returns that employees had to deal with. One young lady worked in a small independent clothing store. Every week she had a regular customer that would come in and she would help her put together outfits. They would get it all picked out together, even the accessories. This customer would always make such a big deal about how great she felt when she wore these outfits out, and how many compliments she received. The clerk felt great because she thought she was helping this woman. Truthfully the poor clerk was just being scammed, and this loyal customer was actually engaging in wardrobing. The customer had figured out this clerk’s weekly schedule and on her days off the woman would come back to return everything she had previously purchased. The clothing was clearly worn when she brought it back, but she would insist that the clerk had told her it was fine to bring it back if she wasn’t completely satisfied.
Return fraud doesn’t just happen in your basic clothing retailers. Imagine working for a formal wear dealer. Those employees dread prom season. Moms and daughters will come in and buy the most expensive dress in the store and then come back the day after prom to get their money back. They claim they were not happy with the quality of the dress.They come back with their credit card receipts and expect full refunds. Of course the garments reek of cigarette smoke and beer. And that’s not to mention the nasty sweat stains.
Alpha Shark Tags can help retailers stop this free renting phenomenon in it’s tracks. Simply attach the tags to the clothing. It is recommended that you put them in very obvious areas so they cannot be hidden or tucked in. They stop wardrobing because they are part of the return policy. They are not like price tags that can just fall off. Alpha Shark Tags are intended to be removed at home with a simple pair of household scissors. So, once the customer cuts the tag off, the item can no longer be returned to the store. Some stores even attach copies of their new return policy right to the garment so there can be no confusion. These are great, easy to use, tools that will save your staff from arguing with customers about refunds.
For more information on Alpha Shark Tags, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
